Reversible propeller-wheel.



PATENTED APR. 10, 1906.

F. M. SPAULDING. REVERSIBLE PROPELLER WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED MAR.16,1904.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

fipawza g v PATENTED APR. 10, 1906.

I F. M. SPAULDING-.. REVERSIBLE PROPELLER WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.16,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 E Z ,1 A i a UNITED STATES PATENT mm FRANK M. SPAULDING, OF ST. JOSEPH. MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM H. HULL, OFST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN.

REVERSIBLE PROPELLER-WHEEL.

Nam-7,728.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 16, 1904. Serial No. 198.398.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M. SPAULDING, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of St. Joseph, Michi an, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Reversible Propeller Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention contemplates an improvement in reversible propeller-wheels of that particular type in which the reversal or angular adjustment of the propeller-blades is effected by a longitudinal shift or adjustment on the part ofthe ropeller-wheel shaft.

Generally state the object of my invention is to provide a simple, comparatively cheap, and highly-eflicient propeller-wheel of the aforestated character.

A special object is the (provision of a propeller-wheel characterize by an improved construction and arrangement of parts whereby the connections between the pro ellerblades and the longitudmally-adjustable propeller-wheel shaft are effectively concealed or covered in such manner as to practically preclude all possibility of weeds or sand or other things becoming entangled or lodged in the wheel to an extent to in any way interfere with the reversal or adjustment of the blades or the efficiency of the wheel while in operation. I

Another object is to provide an improved construction and arrangement in a propellerwheel of this particular type whereby the thrust of the propeller-wheel will be sustained entirely by the stern-post or rear structure of the boat rather than by the engine-shaft,

A further object is the provision of an improved construction and arrangement in a propeller-wheel of this particulartype where-- y the propeller-blades may-be easily and quickly removed or adjusted in place and whereby repair and substitution of parts may be made with ease and facility.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of im rovement tending to increase the general e ciency and serviceability of a reversible propeller-wheel of this particular type.

To the foregoing and other useful ends my invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a propeller-wheel embodying the principles of my invention, showing also the rear portion of the boat structure inwhich the bearings for the propeller-Wheel shaft are mounted. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the ropeller-shaft and of a hand-lever for shifting said shaft, the view for con- As thus illustrated my improved reversi ble propeller-wheel comprises a rotary hub or hea A, held against axial movement by the thrust-bearing B. Said thrust-bearing is ada ted to be secured to the stern structure of tile boat and has its outer end internally threaded to receive a s lit ring 0, the latter being externally .threa ded and seated in a circumferentially-extending groove 0 in the hub. The thrust of the propeller wheel when the'boat is runnin ahead is preferably sustained b a suitable liall-bearin D interposed, as il ustrated, between the Inner end of the hub and the thrust-bearing. Thus, as stated, the hub A can rotate relatively to the thrust-bearing B; but the provision of the s lit ring or collar 0 prevents the hub from s ting axially-that is to say, the hub is axially stationary. The said hub is provided tened for the greater part of 1ts length, so as to receive the flattened outer end ortion E of the pro eller-wheel shaft E. 1; will be seen that t c said shaft is mounted for longitudinal adjustment in the thrust-bearingB and in the stuffing-box F, the said stufling-' box or gland and the thrust-bearing being connected by the tube G. The hub A is also preferably provided at opposite sides of the shaft with openings (1 an 9 with a longitudinal bore 0., preferably flat- '0 adapted to re-.

ceive, respectively, the stems H and I of the oppositely-arranged propeller-blades H and I. These stems are preferably formed with threaded end portions h and 'i, with cylindric portions 72. and '21, and with intermediate squared portions h and i When the blades are in place, as illustrated, the said stems are held against axial shift in their res ective sockets bywashers 72. and i and nuts and i. As illustrated, these nuts may be screwed down tightly against the shoulders k and i formed on the two stems. Preferably the hub is also provided with 0 positely-arranged recesses a. and a, an in these recesses are seated the crank-arms h and i. It will be observed that the said crank-arms are removably fitted upon the squared portions of the propeller-blade stems and that these crankarms are provided at their ends with slots h and i. A pin J extends transversely through the shaft portion E, the ends of this pin enhe cover-plates K and L are provided with enings to receive the portions h and i of t e said stems and also with smaller openings to receive the cylindric end portions of said stems. With this arrangement the said cover-plates are clamped in place by the said stems and nuts, the stems acting as clam ingbolts. Thus applied the said coverates effectively cover or conceal the slotte ends of the crank-arms and also cover the ends of the pin J. As illustrated, these two coverplates are fitted in grooves or recesses a and a, formed in the hub. With this arrangement it will be seen that a longitudinal shift or adjustment on the art of the propeller wheel shaft serves to a just or change the angularity of the blades. In the drawings the propeller-wheel shaft is shown adjusted inwardly. By adjusting the shaft outwardly it is obvious that the osition of the blades will be reversed. In t his way the boat can be propelled in either direction. Further more, it will be seen that the construction of the hub and adjacent parts is such that the adjusting connections are not exposed, and there are no projecting or exposed parts. Consequently weeds, sand, and other things are not liable to become entangled or lodged in the wheel, at least to an extent to interfere with its efficiency or operation. Again, and

gaging in the said slots in the crank-arms.

notwithstanding the improved character of the wheel, the thrust of the propeller is sustained by the stern structure of the boat, rather than by the engine-shaft. i It will be understood, however, that the improved construction can be employed either with or without a thrust-bearing. In addition my improved construction. makes it possible to easily and quickly remove the blades in case a blade becomes broken or impaired by usage, and in so doing it is unnecessary to remove any of the other parts. By providing the propeller-wheel shaft with a flattened end portion and by fitting this flattened end portion for sliding movement in a flattened bore in the hub the pin J is relieved of considerable strain, the movable adjusting-arms on the blade-stems can be ef- Now another thing;

fectivelyinclosed and arranged to work flatwise upon the shaft, and the structure as a whole is rendered strong and rigid and et easy of adjustment or manipulation. A so, as illustrated, and with the provision of the slots h and i, which extend lengthwise of the adjustin g-arms on the blade-stems, and with the provision of the lon itudinally-adjustable pro eller-shaft adapts to slide in the rotary an axially-stationary wheel-hub, it is' possible to advantageously employ a coupling N for connecting the end-to-end portions of the propeller-wheel shaft E and the engine-shaft 0, it being understood that this coupling is preferably keyed to both shafts, but slidable relatively to both shafts. With this arrangement and combination a hand-lever P, as shown in Fig. 2, can be employed for shifting the propeller-wheel shaft, and thereby reversing the ropeller-blades, and, as previously stated, t e thrust of the wheel is sustained by the stern structure of the boat rather than by the engine-shaft.

It will be seen that the axes about which the blades are adjusted or reversed are noncoincident with each other and located at opposite sides of the axis of the wheelthat IS, the axis about which the wheel rotates. Also, as shown, said axes of adjustment have a fixed relation to each other and to the axis of the wheel.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A reversible propeller-wheel comprising a thrust-bearing, a rotary hub, a split ring screwed into the thrust-bearing and seated in a groove in said hub, blades adjustably mounted on said hub, and a longitudinallyadjustable shaft suitably connected for adjustini said blades.

2. reversible propeller-wheel comprising a rotary hub, a thrust-bearing, a ball-bearing vided with'a pin engaging and working in the slots of said arms.-

3. The combination of a rota but axially-stationary hub blades adj usta ly mounted on said hub, the stems of said blades being provided with crank-arms and each crankarm having a longitudinally-extending slot; an endwise-adjustable shaft provided with a pin engaging and working in said slots and adapted to rotate'said hub and slide longitudinally therein; a bearing in which said propeller-wheel shaft is mounted and which sustains the thrust of the propeller-wheel; an engine-shaft having a telescoping connection with the end of said propellerwheel shaft; and manuallyoplerated means for shifting said propeller w eel shaft endwise for the purpose of reversing the said blades.

4. The combination of a rotary but amally-stationary hub, a thrust-bearing in which said hub is mounted for rotation, ropellerwheel blades adjustably mounted on said hub and provided with slotted crank-arms, a pro eller-wheel shaft provided with a flattene end portion en aging said hub, said flattened end portion being provided with a pin engaging and workin in the slots of said arms, an engine-shaft te esco ically coupled to the end of the pro eller-w eel shaft, and means for shifting sai ropeller-wheel shaft endwise to reverse said blades.

5. A reversible propeller-wheel comprising a rotary hub, blades adjustably mounted upon said hub and rovided with crank-arms having slots, a ongitudinally-adjustable shaft provided with a pin'working in said slots, and op ositely-arranged cover-plates secured to said hub and covering said crankarms, the axes about which said blades are adjusted or reversed being non-coincident with each other and located at op osite sides of the axis about which the whee rotates.

6. A reversible ropeller-wheel comprising a rotary hub, bla es adjustably mounted on a groove in said hub, blades adjustably mounted on said hub, and a= longitudinallyadjustable shaft suitably connected for ad- 'usting said blades, the axes about which said lades are adjusted or reversed being non-coincident with each other and located at oppowhich the wheel rotates.

9. -A reversible ropeller-wheel comprising a rotary hub, bla es adjustably mounted on said hub, a longitudinally-adjustable shaft, the hub being held against axial movement,

slotted crank-arm connections between the shaft and blades, and a pair of coverlates removably secured to said hub and inc osin or covering said connections, whereby sai blades are adjustable or reversible about axes which are non-coincident with each other and which have a fixed relation to each other and to the axis about which the wheel rotates.

10. A reversible propeller wheel comprising a thrust-bearing, a rotary hub, a split ring screwed into the thrust-bearing and seated in a groove in said hub, blades adjustably mounted on said hub, and a longitudinallyadjustable shaft suitably connected for adjusting said blades, whereby said blades are adjustable or reversible about axes which are non-coincident with each other and which have a fixed relation to each other and to the axis about which the wheel rotates.

Signed by me at St. Jose h, Berrien county, Michigan, this 20th da 0 February, 1904.

FRAN M. SPAULDIN G. Witnesses:

LoUIs S. SCHULZ, FRANK L. PIxLEY. 

